Chicago police used license plate reader technology to quickly locate witnesses and then make an arrest in the completely random murder of a Divvy bike rider in Grant Park last week, prosecutors said as they charged a 19-year-old man with the murder.
According to prosecutors, Eliel Argudo-Tenorio was part of a birthday gathering that began at a Chicago residence before a six-car caravan traveled to the 300 block of East Jackson Drive in Grant Park late on June 15. The group parked in a line along the curb, got out of their vehicles, and drank alcohol, prosecutors said. Surveillance footage reviewed by investigators captured the events that followed.
About 30 minutes after the group arrived, Malik Jones, 27, turned his Divvy bike off Lake Shore Drive onto Jackson and headed toward the group. Prosecutors said Jones had no connection to anyone at the party. Video footage allegedly showed Argudo retrieving a handgun from the front passenger window of a vehicle in the caravan moments later. Prosecutors said he immediately pointed the weapon at Jones as the cyclist rode away and looked back toward the group.
Jones then disappeared from the camera’s view, followed by Argudo, prosecutors said. A moment later, Argudo allegedly fired a single shot, striking Jones in the right thigh. Prosecutors said he then returned the handgun through the passenger-side window of the vehicle where he obtained it, ran back to a white Mazda in the caravan, and climbed into the rear seat.
The entire group quickly got back into their vehicles and drove away toward Michigan Avenue, according to prosecutors, and they were gone before police arrived. CPD officers found Jones lying on the ground near where the caravan had been parked. Investigators recovered a single .45-caliber shell casing from the scene. He was transported to a hospital, where he died from his injuries.
Investigators quickly developed leads after a license plate reader captured the registration of the white Mazda that Argudo used to flee the scene. Chicago police distributed the plate information to patrol units across the city, and officers located the vehicle less than three hours later in the 4200 block of North Hamlin Avenue. Three members of the birthday party were inside the Mazda when police found it. According to prosecutors, two immediately identified Argudo as the shooter. A third witness told detectives that Argudo had been armed but claimed not to have seen the shooting itself.
One witness also told investigators that after Argudo climbed back into the Mazda following the shooting, he repeatedly admitted what he had done.
“I blew, I blew, I blew,” the witness recalled him saying, according to prosecutors. The witness said Argudo also stated that he had “messed up.” Detectives subsequently located two additional witnesses who also identified Argudo as the gunman, prosecutors said.
Investigators arrested Argudo at his Oak Park home later the same day. He is charged with first-degree murder. Judge Antara Rivera ordered him detained pending trial.
According to prosecutors, Argudo’s juvenile record includes adjudications for possession of a stolen motor vehicle in 2024 and burglary and unlawful weapon possession in 2023.
